The present invention relates generally to product merchandising display devices for use in storing and displaying for sale products or articles such as bottled or canned soft drink beverages, fruit juices and the like and, more particularly, to several embodiments of a totally integrated refrigerated product merchandising unit which utilizes a forced-air delivery system for merchandising chilled products to consumers. No ice or cold water is necessary for chilling the products positioned within the present product merchandising units. Instead, a unique air chamber design provides continuous cold air flow to the internal product holding cavity or receptacle which holds the various products for sale to consumers for cooling and chilling the products positioned therewithin.
Point of sale merchandising units are commonly used for merchandising single unit articles such as bottled or canned soft drink and fruit juice type beverages. Since these items are typically impulse type items, such point of sale units are typically located throughout a store environment at strategic locations such as at food counters, checkout counters, end aisle locations, and other high customer traffic locations throughout the store environment. When merchandising chilled products, such point of sale merchandising units are typically adapted for holding ice so as to chill the beverage containers or other chilled products positioned therewithin. Because ice is typically used in these types of container assemblies, these units also include appropriate drainage mechanisms for periodically draining waste water from the melted ice which will accumulate within the container assembly. Such drainage mechanisms may include a drain tank assembly, a reservoir assembly, appropriate tubing and/or spigot means for periodically emptying the drain tank or reservoir assembly, and other drain assemblies. In many cases, additional floor support members and platform members are necessary in order to adequately hold and support a large capacity drain tank assembly. In other embodiments where a drain tank assembly is not utilized, melted waste water is allowed to accumulate in the bottom of the product holding cavity or receptacle and is thereafter removed by opening a spigot or unclamping a drain tube which is connected to the bottom portion of the product holding container so as to allow the waste water to drain therethrough to the outside of the overall assembly. A bucket or other receiving means is typically positioned underneath the drain tube or spigot to receive the liquid from the melted ice. Unfortunately, these drainage mechanisms typically leak thereby causing wet areas around the product merchandising unit and other potential hazards.
Another disadvantage to using a product merchandising container which is filled with ice and articles for sale is that, as the ice melts, the articles will gradually become immersed in cold water. This necessitates reaching into the cold water to retrieve the articles which can be uncomfortable and can cause consumers to select an article for sale from a different, more inviting display. Such an arrangement can also be unattractive depending upon the amount of melted ice within the container. In this regard, germs on customer hands can be released into the water when consumers reach therein to obtain an article.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above and discloses several embodiments of a product merchandising unit which includes a forced-air refrigeration system completely enclosed therewithin and below the product holding cavity for more efficiently providing cold air in and around the product containers positioned within the unit for quickly chilling the product containers positioned therewithin and keeping such product containers continuously cold throughout the selling period.